EDS draft submission on RM Replacement Bills calls for significant changes

The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has released a detailed draft submission on the Government’s proposed Resource Management Act (RMA) replacement legislation, warning that the Natural Environment and Planning Bills contain serious structural and legal flaws that must be addressed before they are enacted.

EDS has released its draft submission on the two Resource Management Act replacement Bills ahead of the closing date (which is this Friday).

Why the RMA Replacement Bills Matter

“The Natural Environment and Planning Bills, when enacted, will replace the RMA. They are very important. We need durable and workable laws for the coming decades, so we need the Environment Select Committee and Parliament to focus on fixing deficiencies,” said EDS RM Reform Director Dr. Greg Severinsen.

Dr Severinsen has been leading EDS’s RM research programme for some years and has published extensively on the issues.

Key Flaws Identified by EDS

“Our detailed draft submission highlights significant flaws in the bills. These include the provisions for regulatory relief, problems with environmental limits and highly constrained legal standing. There are many other problems, both substantive and drafting errors, which we have canvassed.

EDS Invites Public Feedback Ahead of Submission Deadline

“As well as releasing our draft submission, we are providing a template that should be useful to guide people through their individual submission preparations.

“The Bills have been rushed so are far from acceptable in their current form.

“We welcome constructive feedback during this week to Greg via email and will then finalise and submit our submission to the select committee,” Dr Severinsen concluded.